Seriously, we had the best time and guffawed at the prerecorded, awkward history lesson about an eccentric Dubliner named “Bang Bang.” You can’t make it up. After a questionable breakfast of Guinness and toasties, the three of us made our way to the bus stop. Friends had just arrived, exhausted and waiting to check in to their hotel. I was most recently on a 'hop-on, hop-off tour' in Dublin last August. The 'hop-on, hop-off buses' route to a destination's top attractions © ANGHI / Shutterstock If you're truly up for anything - then why not reconsider the 'hop-on, hop-off' bus In the meantime, I’m meeting strangers from far-off places, taking pictures, literally pointing at landmarks I have never seen before in real life and smiling like a clown. Because I’m so excited to be in a new place, doing something so kitschy and basic becomes kind of cool. If my energy lags at any point, I just hop back on the coach to be chauffeured and informed for the next little while, or until I complete the circuit. Most importantly, I’m getting an overview of the city’s geography, a passing look at attractions and lines that I may want to avoid, and figuring out the relative distance between neighborhoods and jumping ahead on the map to choose the spots to hop off, grab another coffee, maybe sit down to lunch or stretch my legs by taking a stroll. I’m learning historical details that I may have glossed over in my research. It may seem silly, but I’m seeing the city from a unique vantage point. I plug in the headset and let the bus do all the work. I prefer to sit up top in the open air if the weather cooperates. Now, as soon as I drop off my bags after a red eye, I head to the nearest stop and hop on the bus. But what self-respecting, well-traveled person would ever consider doing such a touristy, lame thing?Įnjoying the fresh air on the top deck as you begin to orient yourself © vgajic / Getty Images How something kitschy and basic becomes kind of cool Every major city has them, and I’m sure you’ve seen these brightly-colored monsters driving circles around town, with folks taking pictures and listening to prerecorded anecdotes and historical facts. But I do not waste a precious travel day snoozing, sitting at a cafe reading the same sentence in my book again and again, or basically not doing much of anything.Įnter the 'hop-on, hop-off bus'. It’s hard not to want to go find the nearest place to lie down and drool. Yes, you’re exhausted, and no, you can’t check in to your rental or hotel until after 3 pm. Here, Lonely Planet's Brekke Fletcher tells why a shiny open top tour bus is a great way to get your bearings in a new cityįor travelers from the US, landing in a European city after a red-eye flight is an exercise in letting go. Lonely Planet’s “Give it a Try” series is all about making a case for obvious travel experiences that may have been discounted for being too touristy or popular.
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